Michael Sikes, Ph.D.
Evaluation, Research, and Consulting
Program Evaluation
Evaluation is the process of gauging or assessing the impact or value of a program, a project, a product, or a policy. Program evaluation is more specifically the process of determining the impact and value of a program, but it is more. Because a program evaluation can and usually should take place throughout the life of a program, and not just at the end, it can also provide valuable feedback on the progress of a program, whether it is on track to meet its objectives.
Evaluation takes many forms. Although program evaluation has its origin in the monitoring of programs, its purposes have gradually broadened. Today, evaluation is often seen as a pluralistic enterprise that can engage stakeholders and provide information to a wide variety of audiences. Originally conceived as mainly formative and summative, it is now built into many programs from their inception.
Evaluations may use a wide variety of data, both quantitative and qualitative. Often, in fact, effective evaluations use varied data from multiple sources. The key is to understand what you need to find out. In other words, what are your guiding questions or hypotheses? Careful consideration at the beginning can bring about much more useful evaluations. See Evaluation and Program Planning for more information on this process.
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